News, commentary, and insights on adventures, and adventurers, from around the globe.

Monday, May 22, 2017

10 Great Outdoor Documentaries From The Adventure Journal

Just because the dog days of summer force us to stay inside in the air conditioning from time to time doesn't mean we have to skimp on our daily dose of adventure. On the contrary, as there are some amazing outdoor documentaries to be enjoyed while we rehydrate and prepare to head back out into the heat. And to help us find some of the best, Adventure Journal has put together a list of their 10 favorites, which include some all-time classic and recent hits.

The list has a little something for everyone, from mountaineers, to rock climbers, to surfers, and skiers. Each entry is accompanied by a trailer video that will give you a sense of what each film is about. There is also a brief description of the documentary as well, giving readers an indication of what to expect from the film.

So which movies made the cut? I won't spoil too much of the list for you, but I will say that Valley Uprising and Meru both earned a spot on AJ's top 10. Those two films have been amongst the most celebrated adventure docs to come out in recent history, and for good reason. If you haven't seen either of them yet, than you need to correct that ASAP. Also, one of my favorite documentaries is also on the list in the form of The Barkley Marathons (trailer below). If you haven't seen it yet, it is on Netflix and is fantastic.

While AJ's suggestions are good ones, I find the list to be a bit too safe and predictable. There aren't too many films on it that you probably haven't heard of, and if you're like me, you've probably seen most of them before as well. So, what did they miss out on? What are some great docs that didn't get a mention the we should be watching? Leave a comment with your suggestions.